“I’m sorry,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
They laughed. And maybe they cried a little, too.
“I should have told you the truth at the start, honey,” Zacharias said softly. He held her out from him, only a couple of inches because he never wanted her to be out of his arms again, but he wanted, needed, had to see her face. He had dreamed of her face, night after lonely night. “But I was afraid you’d think I was there for Caleb and I wasn’t, I wasn’t, I was there because I wanted you, only you.”
“I shouldn’t have said all those terrible things to you,” Jaimie said. “But I had fallen so deeply in love with you that when I thought—when I thought I was a—a job you had to do….”
“Hush.”
She kissed him. “I love you,” she said again.
Zacharias smiled. “I love you more.”
Jaimie laughed. “Wanna bet?”
He swung her into his arms.
“I have a car.”
“A Prius?”
He grinned. “A four-wheel-drive Range Rover. This is Texas, babe. And it’s winter.”
“It’s the solstice,” she said, winding her arms around his neck.
“So, there’s really a solstice party going on in the house?”
Jaimie wound her arms around her lover’s neck.
“A solstice party? Where did you get that idea? It’s Emily’s wedding.”
Zach laughed. “There’s a rumor going around that it’s both.”
“What do you mean?”
The snow was coming down harder. Zach gave Jaimie a long, tender kiss.
“We can talk about that later. For now…”
“For now?”
“For now…” He took a deep breath. “Honey. I’ve left The Agency. For good. I don’t want that kind of life anymore.”
Her eyes searched his.
“What kind of life do you want, Zacharias?”
“The only kind of life I want is with you, sweetheart.”
“That’s a good thing.” Jaimie smiled. “A very good thing. Because you’re all I want. Now, and forever.”
Zach kissed her again. His heart felt as if it might burst with joy.
“I have a car,” he said. “And a room. At an inn in Wilde’s Crossing.”
“Does your room have a big marble tub? A shower with a zillion spray heads? A beach? A sailboat? Hot and cold running servants?”